Interesting write up.

[don moore]

interesting write up.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/673
it might be a repost.

[tom4bren]

Very interesting. The VX seems to still be a love/hate thing. Either you love it or you hate it. There is no inbetween.

[Ldub]

C'mon...melted jelly bean??? that's the worst analogy yet.

[johnnyapollo]

I posted a response on there.

-- John

[tom4bren]

Yeah John:clap:

[JHarris1385]

Nice...

[jgalt]

Where's the "fangs" on the silver model?? Looks kinda "nekid".

[Mark B]

Johnnyapollo, good write up from you.
All those bad VX write ups can kiss my VX tailpipe after a long trip.
The VX is the best.

[CrnCnn]

All I gotta say is today was interesting. In less than two miles of driving near my place I saw three FJ's. Two of which were next to me at a light and they both were checking out the VX. The next was just getting to his in a parking lot and pointed out the VX to his passenger as I drove by.:cool:

I still dont care for the FJ. I would go back to a Jeep before I went to it.

[johnnyapollo]

I've actually been a fan of the FJCruiser since seeing the prototype at the Atlanta Auto Show. When the actual production vehicle was released, initially I was pretty excited and always pointed to one whenever I saw it (much like people do the VX) - when I finally test drove one I felt let down. It was kinda like driving my old 4Runner, but with the same visibility problems of the VX. It had a soft ride and couldn't take the cornering that I was used to. I guess I wanted it to either be like my 74 FJ40 or the VX, and it wasn't anything like either (both good and bad) - more like my old 4Runner with similar handling. Now if they would put that supercharged motor in it I might get interested again, but for the most part I felt like I was driving a bad H3 copy. I still like the look, but there're so many on the road now I don't think I could ever bring myself to buying one.

-- John

[Joe_Black]

All that article represents is the ignorant ranting from the sheep bleating at the wolf over the fence. :rolleyes:

I keep seeing a lot of good feedback with the new FJ's off-road abilities, but not being able to go 5 blocks without seeing one just kills it for me. Again, the VX really makes you realize how a sense of individuality is hard to grasp with most production vehicles.

One interesting thing about the new FJ that piqued my personal interest was brought up by a Toyota rep while I was test driving the Yaris LB: Diesels in '08 across the Toyota truck lineup including the FJ.

What can I say? I love diesel! ;)

[johnnyapollo]

Oh Ho! The sleeping monster awaketh. What's shaking down in retirement-land? I think you get a little stoned offa those diesel fumes - the mileage you're getting offa that little veedub is impressive though...

-- John

[Joe_Black]

I do love the smell of diesel in the morning! :bgwo:

I'll attach a little shot made the other day from the Jetta's MFD for average mileage, just for kicks. Plus a pic of what's been keeping me busy besides being worked to death waiting for a severance package. Bleh!

Definitely loving the TDI though and we're looking to get the VW Tiguan TDI when it gets here next year, which means we'll likely trade the Jetta in for that and I'll get the IronMan back.

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/002__scaled_600_091.jpg
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/001__scaled_600_113.jpg
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/004__scaled_600_057.jpg

[alanbradley]

Have a heart would you!

Much as i love the VX I wish I could have kept the Yaris too... 50-odd mpg when sitting at a steady 87mph was great.

A

[Joe_Black]

Get yourself down to a breakers and lay your hands on the 3.1L diesel drivetrain from a Trooper and swap into your VX. You're living in the mecca for nice used Isuzu diesels! You could probably make a tidy sum exporting them by the container to the US for us diesel-starved Isuzu freaks. ;)

[JHarris1385]

I wish I knew what 50 mpg felt like, but I dont. What exactaly is getting the mpg. TDI manual Jetta??

[alanbradley]

Yeah, I know! Maybe in a little while when its not necessarily me daily driver...

I have to ask, have you ever lived over here? I noticed your use of the word "arse" instead of "a*s" the other day.. :)

Between you guys and the fine folks at The Small Print (http://forum.thesmallprint.org) its pretty clear that there IS a market for diesel vehicles in the US. Us Europeans love rubbing it in too! :p

;)

A

[WormGod]

The haters on that page are also the same people who created the entry for the VX on UrbanDictionary. :p

Haters, all of them, who cares. The small editorial was a nice addition to what we already know, and thats all that matters. We get love from all the RIGHT places, not those who are drifting on by in their vehicles, which you NEVER even here them boast about.

[Joe_Black]

I wish I knew what 50 mpg felt like, but I dont. What exactaly is getting the mpg. TDI manual Jetta??

Yup, '06 MkV Jetta TDI manual although the DSG auto gets the same since it's actually an electronically shifted (paddle shift!) 6-speed manual meaning no torque converter. Tried to get a DSG but after scouring the state stealerships for the rapidly vanishing TDI's I took what I could lay my hands on. Fun car and I'm desperately resisting the temptation to mod. :rolleyes:

[Chopper]

Yeah, I know! Maybe in a little while when its not necessarily me daily driver...

I have to ask, have you ever lived over here? I noticed your use of the word "arse" instead of "a*s" the other day.. :)

Between you guys and the fine folks at The Small Print (http://forum.thesmallprint.org) its pretty clear that there IS a market for diesel vehicles in the US. Us Europeans love rubbing it in too! :p

;)

AIf the diesels offered here weren't so historically abysmal, the demand would be larger. Those who've been to Europe, or driven the new diesels from Merc or Audi, know how very good they can be.

[Joe_Black]

We can thank GM for shaping domestic diesel opinion in passenger cars. Bleh!

[johnnyapollo]

I rather like Vin Diesel - try Pitch Black.

-- John